Alter Ego
by Marduk42
Summary: A return of an old 'friend,' and the Digidestined have to face the evils that they thought they'd destroyed, with their only hope lying in the final Digidestined. Contains heavy yaoi, and very dark bits.
1. Prologue

Alter Ego  
  
***  
  
Yello, peeps. It's Marduk here, with what I would qualify as a dark fic. It will contain angst, evil businessmen, angst, kinapping, angst, implied abuse and other whatnots that I won't reveal now. Contains Junto (please don't abandon this fic because of that!) and Kensuke/Daiken, which means Ken and Daisuke romantically involved. If you don't like, don't read. And please give me feedback, please. Onward!  
  
***  
  
Notes:  
'-indicates thought  
// \\-indicates dream sequences.  
  
***  
  
\\'Where am I? I should recognize this place...' The landscape whizzed beneath Ken, who was simply soaring over the deadened land. The surreal earth was darkened by depressive clouds, and the topography didn't seem to remain constant. 'It's so dark, and it's trying to overwhelm me...' He suddenly stopped, staring at a huge tower. It was a black obelisk... 'No!'//  
  
Ken sat straight up in bed, sweating. He stared at his darkened bedroom, and hugged his arms to himself.  
  
"Sixteen years old and suffering from nightmares," he said derisively. "Why?"  
  
"I don't know, Ken, but it might help if you got some rest," Minomon replied sleepily. Ken smiled, patting the small Digimon, and then pulling himself under his covers.  
  
"You're right. I'll think about it later. G-night, Minomon." He rolled over, drowsily hugging his partner. His last words before he fell asleep surprised even himself. "Daisuke, if only you were here..."  
  
***  
  
"César? How are you today? César?" Julienne Maxis pushed open the door to her roomate's bedroom. She gasped. The man smiled, looking up at her.  
  
"Oh, hello, Julie. I've just been working on some things." He held up an object that Julienne just *knew* was not meant to do good things to people.   
  
"Yeah, well, I have to get to work. I-I just wanted to know if you needed anything."  
  
"Some heavy-grade plastic explosives would help." She backed away, and fled to the door of the apartment.  
  
***  
  
Daisuke scratched on his homework paper, and then stopped, doodling a small picture in one corner of the paper.  
  
"Hmm...Ken is so much more interesting than physics." There was a puase, and then:  
  
"Daisuke, did you really just say that?" Chibimon hopped onto Daisuke's desk, examining the sketch of Ichijouji Ken.  
  
"Yes. However, the only thing less interesting than physics is the story of Jun's love life, or lack thereof." Chibimon gasped.  
  
"Daisuke, you just said 'thereof!' What is up with you?" Daisuke grinned.  
  
"Ken gave me a word-a-day calendar. He thought I could do to learn a few novel words." Chibimon hopped onto Daisuke's shoulder.  
  
"You like him a lot, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, he's my best friend. He's the only person whose believed in me consistently."  
  
"That's not what I meant, Daisuke," Chibimon said, bouncing impatiently on his partner's head. "I mean, you *like* him like him." Daisuke blushed a fierce red.  
  
"Chibimon, I-you-I-" He broke off, and bowed his head. "Fine." Chibimon bounced onto the desktop.  
  
"So am I right?"  
  
"Maybe," he responded guiltily. Chibimon smiled at Daisuke knowingly.  
  
"So, why don't you tell him, or show him, like you did when you liked Kari?" Daisuke looked Chibimon in the eye.  
  
"There's a lot of reasons, but most of them are...I'm scared. Scared he won't return my feelings, scared that he won't want to be my friend, scared because this is different from when I liked Hikari, because we're both guys-"  
  
"Why should that matter, Dai-chan?" Daisuke looked away.  
  
"Well, the short of it is, people are stupid and close-minded, and like to think that romance is only right and good when there's the possibility of a relationship increasing the population." He sighed. "It's not that bad, here, but still-there'll always be people who hate same-sex couples, and who make those people's lives miserable because of it." Chibimon sighed.  
  
"People are so confusing, Daisuke."  
  
"I know. I think that there's precious few people that understand people, and one of them was nailed to a tree for pointing out how they could be better people."  
  
***  
  
"Yamato? Are you paying attention?"   
  
"N-nani?" Yamato blinked, and found himself staring into Jun's worried eyes.  
  
"It's just that you seemed a little-out of it." She smiled, and picked up her Diet Coke. "But it's all right. I understand. With your sophmore year at college, and your band, and me, you have a lot of stress. And in fact-" Yamato felt himself drifting again. Last night, he had had quite a...different dream, and he was thinking about it. It had surprised him greatly, especially the part where Taichi- "Yama-chan? I'm really getting worried about you. You've been so distant lately."  
  
"I-Jun, I think I have a confession to make." She paled, and dropped her napkin. She latched herself onto Yamato's arm.  
  
"Yama-chan, you're not leaving me, are you?" It was at this point that Yamato recalled the entire reason he had started to date Jun. Her determination, perseverence, even the clinginess, made him date her just to keep her at a distance.  
  
"I-Jun, when I first met you, I thought you were clingy, annoying, loud, and, well, a lot of other things. I thought hell would freeze over before I went out with you. And now, do you know what I've realized? You're nice, thoughtful, kind, perceptive, but I don't feel anything for you. Correvtion, you're like a sister I never had, which just makes this whole situation weird." Jun broke away, and glared at him with accusing eyes.  
  
"It's another woman, isn't it?" Yamato shook his head.  
  
"I've realized that I simply don't feel that way about you. I'm sorry, Jun, for leading you on like this." Tears began to drip down her face.  
  
"Fine, I understand. You're afraid of commitment, aren't you? You want to get out before you have to promise anything to me!" Yamato reached out, placing a hand on her arm.  
  
"Jun, listen to me. I-you're a wonderful person, and I've really enjoyed being able to get to know you better. But, the thing is, just recently, I realized that I don't like you romantically. You see-Jun, I don't *like* you. I don't *like* women." Her eyes windened, and Jun put her hand on her mouth.  
  
"You're gay?" Yamato nodded, and a sardonic smile graced her lips. "Well, at least I know it has nothing to do with my personality. So, who's the lucky guy? Don't try lying to me, I know there's a guy." Yamato grinned nervously.  
  
"Well, I don't know how to say this-"  
  
"And if you say my brother, I just have to warn you, it's a hopeless cause."  
  
"The fact that he's a pure-blooded heterosexual?"  
  
"Nope; the fact that he's smitten for someone else. So, get back on topic, and tell me who, or I'm kissing you." Yamato stared at her in mock panic.  
  
"God, no! Well, I'll tell you. It's Yagami Taichi." Jun smiled.  
  
"Well, that's cute. I can just see the two of you together. So, does he know?" Yamato shook his head.  
  
"I have no idea which way he...goes. And I have no idea how he'd react." Jun placed her hand on Yamato's.  
  
"Well, let's see if we can get you courage enough to do that."  
  
***  
  
"Really? You think he's going to? Well, of course I'm not surprised, TK. Eep, Taichi needs the phone now. See ya!" Hikari turned off the phone, and handed it to her brother. "You know, you could live at a college dorm like a normal kid, 'Niichan." He grinned, and snatched the phone from her.  
  
"Since when have I done something normal?" Hikari grinned.  
  
"Right. So, on a different note, when are you planning to come out to Yamato?" Taichi felt a pang in his chest at the name.  
  
"Never. Hikari-chan, he's dating! Admittedly, I never thought he'd date Jun, but still, he's happy. I'm not going to confuse him by throwing myself at him. Just face it, Kari, I'm never going to date him. Hell, the Digital World will be reduced to Digidust before we get together!" At that moment, Hikari felt a flash of something, which she had long learned to take notice of. She had the incredible feeling that perhaps he was right.  
  
*** 


	2. Ascension

Alter Ego  
  
***  
  
Part I: Ascension  
  
***  
  
Disclaimer: The characters used in this story are not the property of the author. They belong to several large companies whom the author does not know the name of. The writing of this story is not for profit, nor is it meant to infringe on copyrights of the creators.  
  
Hello, it's me again. I've actually written this part in Rome, because, as you know, inspiration can come anywhere, anytime. Anyway, here is Part 1, which will 'start' the saga. A note: all parts will begin with a dream sequence, usually Ken's POV unless I deem differently. Also, if you refuse to read a story that puts Jun in good light, don't continue.  
  
***  
  
Another minor note: Jyou and Sora in here are 20, Taichi, Yamato, Koushiro, and Mimi are 19, Jun is 18, Ken and Miyako are 17, Takeru, Daisuke, and Hikari are 16, and Iori is 14 years old.  
  
***  
  
\\The wasteland stretched for miles in every direction, with only a few dying trees growing in the desert. No animals moved in the half-light, and the shaded sun glowed with a black light.  
  
'I know this place,' Ken thought, walking forward towards his goal (but what? There's nothing here!), hidden deeper in the hellish land. And then, he sensed movement, and a shadow stepped into his vision.  
  
"Welcome, Ken-chan," he hissed, raising a hand. "I've missed you."  
  
'Ken-chan? Who is this?' Ken stepped forward, trying to make out a form, a face (does he even *have* a face?), to see who this was.  
  
"I'm disappointed in you, Ken-chan. You could have been the greatest. And now, because of your weakness, everything has been lost. You see? Nothing exists here, not Light, not Hope, not Friendship, nor Love. There is no Courage or Knowledge, no Purity, and no Faith. There is only me...and you. Only Kindness is left, and I shall crush it." He raised an arm, and Ken heard the sickening crack of a whip, and a searing pain through his entire chest-//  
  
"Ken? Ken? Are you all right?" Ken lashed out with an arm, fending off the whip's hard lashes, and then, he was being held down, someone was shouting at him-  
  
"Mama-san?" His eyes opened, and he found himself looking into his mother's eyes. "Gomen, I was having a nightmare..." She smiled at him, and pulled him into a light hug.  
  
"That's all right. Your friend Daisuke called earlier; he wants you to meet him in the park in a little while. Noon, he said."  
  
"But it's eleven-thirty now!"  
  
***  
  
César Mendez was a brilliant engineer; he had designed over a dozen patented items used in the medical field, and had even been involved in government contracts with names like, "Instantaneous Translocation Mechanics," and, "Physical Magnitude Alterations." He was a reserved man, very liberal, and unquestionably one of the great geniuses of our century. But all this changed when his best friend, a professional football player, raised in César's household after a tragic accident, received life-threatening injuries during a game, and died in the hospital. He became more withdrawn, eccentric, and prone to mood swings. It was during this early period that he developed his neuronic whip. Inspired by Isaac Asimov's references to a weapon that caused pain by stimulating nerves, he created an energy whip that could slice through nerves like a hot knife through butter, leaving the victim a nervous wreck. His roommate, Julienne Maxis, after discovering this weaponry, disposed of it and tried talking sense into him. He was feeling betrayed, hurt, and alone. And so when his dreams were haunted by a powerful ally speaking of a world where a genius like himself could be all-powerful, he was lost to temptation...  
  
***  
  
Daisuke sat on the park bench, looking at his watch. 12:07. Ken was late. Maybe he wasn't coming. But that wasn't possible! Ken would always make time for Daisuke; but maybe he suspected...?  
  
"No; only Hikari seemed to know, and she's...well, she's Hikari. He can't suspect how I feel-"  
  
"Hi, Daisuke!" Daisuke jerked his head up, and nearly fell off the bench.  
  
"Ken! Don't do that! I was thinking." Ken smiled warmly.  
  
"I won't bother asking what cosmological force actually managed to make you think for once. So, why'd you drag me out of bed at this ungodly hour? And if you tell me that the reason you did this was to tell me that Hikari finally agreed to go out with you, I'm going to kill you." Daisuke shook his head, smiling.  
  
"No, nothing quite so mundane as that." Ken arched one eyebrow.  
  
"Mundane?"  
  
"I've been trying to put that Word-a-Day calendar to use!" Daisuke protested, trying to glare with his brown eyes. Ken's violet eyes glowed with amusement as he walked carefully around Daisuke.  
  
"You *look* like the same Daisuke, but I've heard aliens can clone people," he muttered. Daisuke blushed, and backed away from the peering gaze.  
  
"Ken, about why I called you down here-" he began.  
  
"Let me guess: you're madly in love with me, and want to elope and move to America," Ken quipped. Daisuke's eyes widened, and he backed up a step. "No, wait, Daisuke, I was only joking-"  
  
"You were only joking...That's why I called you here. I wanted to say that I cared for you...a lot, but if you joke about it like that, than I don't see how you could ever imagine us together. I'm sorry, Ken, for doing this to you, but I-I have to go." Daisuke turned, and ran from the park, not caring that tears were leaking from his cheek.  
  
***  
  
"So, let's see...Taichi is a womanizer, you say. When's the longest he's been in a relationship?"  
  
"A year, but that was with Sora, and they broke up when she realized she was a lesbian." Jun smiled, and tapped a pen on a pad of paper.  
  
"So, only serious relationship was with his best friend. Got it."  
  
"Jun, how do I know that this test is reliable? I mean, it sounds like a lot of psychobabble to me." Jun cradled the phone between her chin a neck before responding to Yamato.  
  
"Yama-kun, let me say something. I know a lot about guys. I have never had any sort of relationship with them, but I am most likely the one woman on this planet who understands men. It's a skill that I've acquired by years of rejection, and it helps a lot. So, I believe that I can use the information you give me to determine whether or not Taichi is interested in you." There was a slam, and Jun caught the sight of the tear-streaked face of Daisuke. "However, I have to go now. Daisuke looks like his meeting in the park didn't go too well. Ja!" Jun hung up the phone, and then hurried to Daisuke's room. Knocking on the door, she opened it and walked in. Daisuke was laying on his bed, his face buried in his pillow, and his freaky stuffed animal thing comforting him.  
  
"It's gonna be okay, Daisuke-oops." Daisuke sat up, and stared at Jun. His eyes, bleary and wet, still managed to appear panicked.  
  
"Listen, Daisuke, I've known about that thing for a while, and although I'd like an explanation someday, I know now is not the time. So, care to talk about it?" Daisuke, understanding what she meant, shook his head.  
  
"It's personal," he mumbled, and flopped back onto his bed.  
  
"Let me guess: guy trouble?" At Daisuke's mouth dropping open, she smiled. "I'm not clueless, Dai-chan. So, tell me about him." Daisuke buried his head in his pillow again.  
  
"It's not a guy; it's Hikari." Jun shook her head.  
  
"Hikari's rejected you before, Daisuke. You've never been like this before. So spill, unless you want me to tell Mom and Dad about this whatever-you-call-it."  
  
"Digimon," Daisuke said sulkily. "And I'll tell you. It's Ichijouji Ken. I tried to tell him how I felt, and he-he-" A fresh wave of tears left him sobbing into the pillow.  
  
"What? Did he say he hated you? Did he reject you?"  
  
"He was-laughing-at the concept-of me-liking-h-him." Jun inhaled sharply.  
  
"Daisuke, how do you know that he meant that he didn't like you?"  
  
"Because he didn't seem to care when I told him that I'd called him there to tell him how I-I-felt. Because he was mocking the idea of me liking him. B-"  
  
"Daisuke, if you're uncomfortable talking about something very serious to you, what do you do?" Daisuke risked a glance at his sister.  
  
"I-I make a joke about it..."  
  
"Exactly. Maybe Ken feels the same way about you. Maybe he's nervous about the way he feels, and so he made a joke about it in order to keep him from worrying. He may be just as hurt as you are, Dai-chan. So, why don't you call him up and find out?" She handed the phone to Daisuke, and left the room, scooping up the little blue-Digimon-from the floor.  
  
"Hey! Put me down!"  
  
"Daisuke needs some privacy."  
  
"Help! Daisuke! HELP!"  
  
***  
  
'Why did I come here? What do I have to gain?'  
  
...Everything...  
  
'What? Who are you?'  
  
...You don't remember? You should...  
  
Ken stared at the forest before him. It was one of the many pathways into the world of Darkness. And when he came here, the voices spoke to him.  
  
...This is your last chance, Ichijouji. There are others who want this more...  
  
"I don't need to listen to you to be happy. I can find happiness on my own."  
  
...And yet...  
  
'And yet, I can't even hold onto friendship long enough to be happy.'  
  
...Yes...  
...Will you join me?...  
...Think of the good times...  
  
Ken reached out a hand, touched the beginning of the forest, and walked forward, lured to the shores of the Dark Ocean...  
  
...Come back to me...  
  
"Ken! Phone for you!" Ken started, hitting his head on the top of his desk. Had it been a dream? A nightmare? Or had he traveled back...there? "Ken! It's your friend Daisuke!" Daisuke? Ken lunged for the phone.  
  
"Got it!" He then held the receiver to his ear. "Moshi moshi?"  
  
"Hi, Ken..." Ken heard the hurt and uncertainty in the other boy's voice.  
  
"Listen, Dai-kun,"  
  
"Gomen nasai.""Gomen nasai."  
  
"What do *you* have to be sorry for?"  
"What do *you* have to be sorry for?"  
  
"I-I'm sorry for running off like that. I was nervous, and I overreacted. But I just thought, when you joked like that-"  
  
"Daisuke, I should have known better. I just-I thought that making a joke would help you get through whatever you wanted to say. I honestly didn't think that you were going to say-that." There was a pause.  
  
"So, Ken, are we still friends?"  
  
"I really don't think it would be a good idea," Ken began. Daisuke, hearing these words, understood exactly what it meant to have a broken heart. "Daisuke? I-I don't think we should be friends, because...I want to be more."  
  
"Don't joke with me, Ken. I-If you don't feel the same way, be honest."  
  
"I am. I wish I could show you. But I'll have to make do with words. Motimoya Daisuke, would you like to go out with me?"  
  
"Hey! I was going to ask *you* out!" Daisuke protested. Ken smirked, knowing that it would come across in his voice.  
  
"Well, it looks like we know who the 'woman'is in this relationship."  
  
"Ken-chan!"  
  
"Ken-chan?" Ken asked, amused. He could almost hear Daisuke blush.  
  
"I-I mean, if you don't mind that I call you that," he stammered.  
  
"Oh, I don't mind at all. So how does Friday sound?"  
  
"Nani? I-wh-oh! It should be fine. And *I'll* pick you up at 7." Daisuke sounded positively smug.  
  
"Sure," Ken answered with a chuckle. "I'll see you then." Outside his room, Mrs. Ichijouji was beaming. Ken had a boyfriend! Maybe this was just what he needed; another person to love. She nearly skipped down the hall to share the news with her husband.  
  
***  
  
There are a million different worlds known to us, and in each one, there is some concept of religion. All hold some concept of the good, the active, the light, and of evil, passive, dark. It is generally accepted that the good is represented overwhelmingly by love. But if that is the case, what is evil? Evil is not hate, because love and hate tread much too fine a line. The opposite of love, therefore, is evil. And what would this be? Fear. Creatures of fear inspire hatred, repulsion, and acquisitiveness. All base emotions are rooted ultimately in fear. So what happens when one loses the capacity to love, so he can only fear? This is what produces evil. Evil cannot love, cannot cherish, can only fear. Just as it is said, 'never curse the darkness, but light a candle,' to fight fear, you must not attack, hate, or fear it, but embrace it, love it, and cover it with light.  
  
***  
  
The Chicago Sun-Times  
  
Local Woman Vanishes; No Ransom Asked  
by Linda Digeneff  
  
Local woman Julienne Maxis disappeared approximately one week ago. The disappearance was reported by her roommate César Mendez. Only yesterday, a letter arrived at her apartment, only conveying that the woman was safe. There have been no ransom requests for the return of this daughter of North Carolina billionaire Mark S. Maxis, and no hints as to when or if she will return.  
  
***  
  
Ken walked from his room, in a much more cheerful mood than the one in which he had entered his room. He stopped, seeing his parents sitting on the couch, waiting for him.  
  
"Mama-san? What's going on?" She smiled, and looked at his eyes.  
  
"Ken, I didn't really mean to, but I overheard you talking to your friend Daisuke." Ken backed towards his room, his muscles tensing.  
  
"How much did you hear?"  
  
"Pretty much all of what you said. But Ken!" she added, trying to get him to stay where he was. "Ken, your father and I want only what's best for you, and, well, we think this boy is what's best for you. He's your best friends, and frankly, the only person able to cheer you up when you get into your moods. So, if you really want this-" Ken nodded vigorously. "Then, your father and I wish you the best of luck."  
  
"And you tell that Motimoya kid that if he breaks your heart, I'll break him!" Ken laughed a little, and then bowed to his parents.  
  
"Arigatou Papa, Mama-san. I-can I go to the park? I'll be back for dinner."  
  
"All right," Mrs. Ichijouji said happily, reveling in her son's radiant attitude.  
  
***  
  
"TK, you're dripping chocolate sauce," Hikari noted absently. The blond sitting across from her grabbed a napkin and wiped his chin. "You know, I did say I loved you like a brother, but I didn't mean you needed to act like Taichi." Takeru grinned at Hikari before returning to devouring his sundae.  
  
"If you're going to be all mean, I can leave," he pointed out. "After all, you don't need me around here when you let the cat out of the bag, or rather, closet." Hikari leaned back, smiling smugly.  
  
"But if you leave, I'll show Daisuke those negatives of you and Ken in that-ahem-compromising position." Takeru blushed, and leaned over the table.  
  
"You wouldn't!" Hikari only grinned enigmatically.  
  
"And you do know how territorial Daisuke gets over his crushes..." Takeru sat back in his own seat, glaring at the brunette opposite him.  
  
"I've known Daisuke for five years, and I have not yet gotten into hand-to-hand combat with him. In the interests of preserving this record, I will stay. But only because of that." Hikari giggled at this attempt at preserving dignity.  
  
"Hey, Kari-kun!" The two turned their heads to see the purple-haired girl hurrying towards their table. Hikari raised her hand and waved at her.  
  
"You don't know how much this means to me, TK." He smiled knowingly.  
  
"Maybe I do." Miyako, having approached them rapidly, slid into the seat next to Takeru.  
  
"Hi, you two. What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Takeru grinned at Hikari, and pushed Miyako aside.  
  
"Actually, it's just Hikari, and I have to go to the men's room." In just a few moments, he had fled to the back of the restaurant. Hikari glared after him, and smiled devilishly.  
  
"I wasn't lying about those negatives, Take-chan..."  
  
"Hikari?"  
  
"Huh?" Hikari turned her head quickly, and her anger melted. "I-oh, I'm sorry. Takeru just promised to stick around for this, and he's chickened out." Miyako nodded, her eyes radiating a familiar ache that always lingered when Hikari talked about Takeru so familiarly.  
  
"Oh." Hikari, realizing what she'd done, shook her head.  
  
"But we don't really need him here. Miyako, I called you here to tell you something very important..."  
  
"Let me guess; Takeru asked you out?" Hikari smiled at the bitterness hanging in the girl's voice.  
  
"Why don't you just tell me what's wrong, Miyako?" While asking, she applied the tone that never failed to get her what she wanted. Miyako, responding to the charm in the question, responded without thinking.  
  
"I hate seeing the two of you together because I want to be with you!" Her face turned beet-red, and she slammed her hands over her mouth. "Oh god-I didn't mean-"  
  
"Yes you did. I don't share my brother's boldness, Miya-chan, nor Mimi's bluntness. I had to get you to admit this first. I like you, too...a lot. So, if it wouldn't be too much of a bother, would you like to go to the movies with me on Friday?" Miyako's mouth dropped open.  
  
"Are you joking?! No-I know you wouldn't do that...oh god, this is a dream come true, I-I don't know what to say!"  
  
"How about 'yes'?" Hikari's smile was warm, caring. Miyako almost jumped across the table, grabbing Hikari's hands in her own.  
  
"Yes!" Suddenly, she was shoved further into the booth.  
  
"Well, I'm back. I'll guess things went well?" Hikari shot daggers at Takeru, before turning her eyes back to Miyako.  
  
"Be glad I was bluffing about those pictures, Takeru. They got over-exposed."  
  
"So, shall I guess that you're no longer free for a night of passion at my place on Friday?" Miyako, the closest to him, slammed her foot onto his instep. "YEOW!"  
  
"Thanks, Miya-chan."  
  
"It was nothing...Hika-chan."  
  
***  
  
'Where am I?' That was all Julienne could focus on. The room was dark, and she was tied to a chair. She knew she had been kidnapped, possibly drugged. What she had thought she'd seen-it was preposterous! Suddenly, there was a c;anging, and a square of light appeared.  
  
"Is she well?" That voice-so familiar!  
  
"Yes, Master." That other voice, it reminded her of something she'd heard once, a distinctive voice...The door swung open, and Julienne stared at a terrifying figure. A man, about six feet tall, clothed in blue silk, with gold highlights here and there. A long cloak, and black boots. At his side, he held a long whip. His hair, recently dyed, was blue-black, and spiked dangerously. He wore sunglasses engraved with the oddest symbol-  
  
"Julienne Maxis. A lovely woman, wouldn't you say, Pulveramon?"  
  
"Yes, Master." The man smiled, glittering canines visible through his lips.  
  
"So, Julienne, I have a question. Do you know a man named Izumi Koushiro?" She shook her head. "Well, you'll have to find him. Julienne, when I return you to the real world, you are to travel to Japan, and find that man. And tell him this: I HAVE DEALT WITH GENNAI, AND YOU CAN NEVER RETURN. He will know what it means, and if he asks who sent you, only tell him: CÆSAR REMEMBERS, AND DOES NOT FORGIVE." Julienne felt as if the words were branded into her mind, and held a significance she could not grasp. The man whirled, and spoke to her other captor. "Pulveramon, return her to her world." There was a scuttling, and the distinctive voice responded,  
  
"But Master, aren't you forgetting something?"  
  
"Perseverance will not rise. She is lonely and hurt. She poses no threeat to me." Julienne tried to remember these words, but when she awoke in her room later, all she could think of were the orders given and the words burned into her brain. She did not notice that César was gone from the apartment, that she shoved aside police tape to leave. She had to get to Japan.  
  
***  
  
Gatomon was having a nightmare. She was twitching and crying out in her sleep, catching Miko's attention. The cat curiously sniffed at the panicked creature, who suddenly snapped awake. Miko skittered away. That cat-that-spoke-like-a-person scared her.  
  
"There's something wrong! There's something terribly wrong in the Digiworld!" Gatomon made a quick leap, and was out the fire escape, seeking out Hikari.  
  
***  
  
...Look at what we've done...  
"It wasn't me; just you!"  
...You let me in...  
"I was confused! Get out!"  
...I gave him back to you...  
"It's a construct; it's not real!"  
...Stop fighting...The battle is over...  
"As long as I can fight, I will fight you!"  
...The last one said that...he gave up in the end...  
"But you were driven out."  
...It does not matter...Half of my dream is complete...  
"You will not succeed."  
...Because I am evil? Perhaps...But I tell you, I will not fail...  
"What does that mean?"  
...If I can't have what I want...No one can...  
  
***  
  
Well, I hope that was intriguing, interesting, or whatever. It's bound to get more interesting, especially if you haven't picked up on the whole title allusion. But it definately will get more interesting, and I will apologize in advance for more...unpleasant events in later parts. 


	3. Revelations

Alter Ego  
  
***  
  
Part II: Revalations  
OR  
Get DOWN, Daisuke!  
  
***  
  
\\"Daisuke, you need to trust me!" Daisuke stared at the figure before him. The Kaiser, demanding that Daisuke help him. "Dai-chan, I need your help! He's not me! I need you to trust me! Can't you do that for me? Think of your Faith in me, our Friendship, our Love! Remember...I need you." His eyes were pleading, plaintive. And then they shifted, and the Kaiser raised his whip.  
  
"It's a shame I couldn't lure you...I'll just have to destroy you, Dai-chan!" The name was mocking now. "You could have joined me, but now I'll kill you!" Daisuke dodged to the side as the whip sliced past him.  
  
"Ken-chan, why did you go back?"  
  
'I didn't...'  
"I want the power!" Daisuke shook his head. Why had he gotten two answers? There was a solution here, he just needed to find it-//  
  
"Kaiser, Ken, which one?"  
  
"Daisuke, your little freaky blue guy is in a panic. He keeps talking about the 'Digiworld.'"  
  
"Huh!?" Daisuke instinctively slammed his alarm clock, and heard the double giggle of Chibimon and Jun.  
  
"Daisuke! Ken called, and there's something wrong in the Digital World" Daisuke awoke completely, and snatched up the Digimon.  
  
"Where's everyone meeting?" Jun smiled.  
  
"Actually, I said they could meet in your room at five." She turned and waltzed to the door. "Ciao!" Daisuke glanced at the clock, and did a double-take.  
  
"Four fifty-five?! Gotta clean, gotta clean!" Chibimon looked on and laughed.  
  
***  
  
"Name?"  
  
"Julienne Maxis."  
  
"Anything to declare?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Purpose of visit?" The woman's eyes glazed over before she responded to the customs officer's question.  
  
"Find Izumi Koushiro."  
  
"Um...Okay. Length of stay?"  
  
"Indefinate." There was a pause.  
  
"Miss, you can't just-" Several thousand dollars were shoved at him. "Bribes? Miss, you-" Another twelve thousand in large bills. "Ah. Have a nice stay in Japan!"  
  
***  
  
"Daisuke, your friend Kari is here!"  
  
"Send her-gasp-in!" Hikari slipped into Daisuke's room and stared at it.  
  
"Daisuke-your room?"  
  
"It's never been this clean!" Chibimon piped up.  
  
"Heh-heh-heh. He's just joking. So, Hikari, are you free on Friday?"  
  
"Actually, no." The response was somewhat cold.  
  
"Yeah, well, neither am I!"  
  
"O-kay..." Daisuke was beaming, so Hikari ventured in. "So who's the luck-"  
  
"Ken."  
  
"Does he know about this, or were you going to surprise him?"  
  
"Daisuke, honey, your-friend-Ken is here!" Daisuke's grin, if it was possible, got larger.  
  
"Gotta go, Kari. Coming!" Hikari stared after him.  
  
"Twelve of us, and six of us have paired off homosexually. Who'd have thought?" A moment later, Daisuke appeared in his room, dragging Ken by the arm.  
  
"Ken-chan, I'm glad to see you-"  
  
"Daisuke! There's some more of your friends here!"  
  
"Send them in!" Daisuke dragged Ken across the room, and sat him down on his bed. "There." He then sat down next to Ken and snuggled up next to the other boy. Hikari tried to restrain herself from giggling. She failed.  
  
***  
  
Julienne walked into a Tokyo library, and approached the Japan phone books.  
  
"Tokyo, Kyoto, Odaiba...There's way too many of these. I'll start with-Odaiba. As good as any. Let's see...Izumi. Not that many...Ah! Koushiro Izumi: Odaiba Community College." Ripping out the page from the book, she left the library.  
  
***  
  
"Listen, we're all here because of several items. First, Gatomon had terrible premonitions about the Digital World. Right, Gato?" The cat Digimon nodded.  
  
"Right. I don't know what, but it feels like something terrible has happened there." Daisuke, latched tightly onto his boyfriend's arm, took the time to ask a question.  
  
"Hikari-chan, did you call this meeting for a reason so insignificant that it's almost ludicrous?" Hikari prepared herself for a long arguement when Daisuke made a sharp noise of surprise which melted into one of pleasure. Miyako, seated next to Daisuke's bed, edged away from the redhead, who, after having been kissed by Ken, was now pinning the boy to the mattress.  
  
"I vote we turn a hose on them," Iori stated flatly.  
  
"*Down*, Daisuke!" Taichi snapped, and glanced smugly at the others as Ken and Daisuke sheepishly disengaged. "You know, we're not going to be able to leave those two alone if we go into the Digiworld."  
  
"Ah, let them do whatever they want. When we were their age-"  
  
"Mimi!" Sora nearly screeched, slamming a hand over the woman's mouth. Koushiro, sitting next to the window, appeared to have diverted all blood flow to his cheeks.  
  
"I believe that qualifies as more infrmation than any of us need," he stated. "And besides, we're getting off track. The real reason we've called you here is that we've lost all possible contact with the Digital World."  
  
"What do you mean?" Taichi had asked this, his face pale.  
  
"It's what I said. I can't find the Digiport, and neither can Miyako. Since we can't find it, we can't go there." The group fell silent, worrying about this new development.  
  
"So what are we going to *do* about it?" Daisuke asked boldly.  
  
***  
  
The man appeared to be writing a computer program, except...the symbols were unlike those anyone in the world used. His mouth was a thin line of concentration, and occasionally, he would mumble something to himself.  
  
"Third vector...gravity constant-no, the other value..." Suddenly, he stopped. "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"I like a challenge."  
  
"But-you told me how powerful-"  
  
"Enough! We're doing this. Remember, unless Perseverence joins the fight, they'll never know, and we will win. So there's nothing more to worry about. Besides, this-" There was a moment of typing, "Will take care of them all." The man began to chuckle, and his laughter grew until he was laughing maniacally.  
  
***  
  
"I'll demonstrate with a computer; Daisuke, where's yours?"  
  
"Um, in my parents' room." Koushiro frowned.  
  
"I've got my laptop," Ken offered, trying to extricate himself from the embrace Daisuke had subjected him to. "Dai-chan, listen, I like you quite a lot, but I have to get to my computer." Daisuke pouted, and separated from the blue-haired boy. Ken grabbed his laptop, which had ended up behind the bed, and turned it on. "In just a moment, it'll be booted up and I'll try to-ah!" He pulled his Digivice from his side, and pointed it at the computer. "Watch; Digipor-" He broke off, and pushed the computer off his lap. His eyes wide, he turned around and buried his head into Daisuke's chest.  
  
"Ken-chan?" Daisuke asked quietly, wrapping his arms comfortingly around the panicked boy. "Are you all right?" Ken didn't respond, only started to sob softly. Hikari stood up cautiously and picked up the computer. A moment later, she carefully placed it on the ground. She walked calmly over to Miyako and entwined her own hand with her girlfriend's.  
  
"The computer contains something like the Digiport, but it connects to the world of Darkness," she said simply, and then leaned her head against Miyako's shoulder.  
  
"What?" Takeru asked incredulously. "But if none of us can get to the Digital World, why-"  
  
"It's trying to call me back. It misses me. It needs me to sustain it." Ken's voice was muffled by Daisuke's shirt, but still audible. "It's been calling me, and now it wants me to return." Daisuke awkwardly continued to comfort Ken, holding him protectively.  
  
***  
  
"Hello, may I please see Izumi Koushiro?" Julienne stared blankly at the blond man before her. He shook his head.  
  
"He's my roommate; he's out right now." Suddenly, he was held against the doorframe by superhuman strength.  
  
"Where did he go?" The man shook his head desperately.  
  
"I don't know!" She growled and threw him into the hallway.  
  
"Useless!" She stormed over to the phone, and pressed the play button on the answering machine.  
  
**Hi, Koushiro, we're calling a meeting. There's big trouble, and we need your help. Meet at the Motimoya's house; in case you don't have it, it's 4-2 Oak Street...** She smiled and hurried out the door, not caring that the man sprawled in the hallway had retreated to another room to call the police.  
  
***  
  
Ken amd Daisuke had retreated to the kitchen, where Jun was helping her brother comfort the broken boy. The others were anxiously trying to formulate a plan.  
  
"Listen, there has to be something fundamentally wrong with the Digiworld, or Gatomon wouldn't have reacted so badly, and we would be able to at least see the Digiport," Koushiro concluded.  
  
"But why could Ken reach the Dark World when none of us could get any?" Taichi asked.  
  
"It could be a recent development. We need to evaluate it before-" Yamato began.  
  
"I think we should travel there to see what's going on!" Taichi announced. Yamato groaned.  
  
"Tai, we don't need to go rushing into danger!" he snapped back. Taichi stood up and half-yelled into Yamato's face.  
  
"Listen, Mr. 'Let's Wait Around Until We Know Exactly *What* Is Trying to Kill Us,' I don't need to listen to your overly-cautious advice. If I need to listen to a whiny paranoid freak, I'll ask Jyou for his opinion!"  
  
"Tai!" Jyou snapped, his eyes half-tearing. Yamato stood up to face him.  
  
"Tai, just be quiet, all right?"  
  
"What are you going to do if I don't?"  
  
"This." Yamato leaned forward and kissed the brunette on the lips. It was only a second, but when he broke off, Taichi was panting. Yamto's eyes were hopeful, full of tension until Taichi spoke.  
  
"I hope you don't think you can just kiss me and make up for everything," he said, smiling. Yamato looked at him, a goofy grin on his face.  
  
"Does that mean you liked it?"  
  
"Would I do this if I didn't?" Taichi responded, kissing the other man deeper than before, and they slowly sank to the floor.  
  
"Right," Koushiro said briskly, looking at the rest of the group. "Let's move on. Now, it seemed like a good idea to check things out. We should only have one or people do it. Ken shouldn't go; the Dark Ocean et al makes him nervous. By association, Daisuke should stay here also. The same goes for Hikari and Miyako, and I think we should let Taichi and Yamato work things out right here. Sora, Mimi, could you try to remind them that there are eight other people here? Takeru, Iori, how about the two of you head into the Dark World. Please take your Digimon with you. If you have tom DNA Digivolve, but please don't rush into anything."  
  
***  
  
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*  
"Hello?" The woman peered out at Julienne.  
  
"Hello. I am here to see Izumi Koushiro," she responded blandly. The woman brightened.  
  
"Oh, you're one of Daisuke's friends! It's down the hall there. Daisuke's not there, he and his friend are having a crisis, but the others won't mind you just going in. Do you have one of those stuffed animals, too? I think that they're-" Mrs. Motimoya slipped to the floor when Julienne applied a sleeper hold she didn't even know she knew. She walked forward and knocked on the door to what she gathered was where Koushiro was. It opened, and she stepeed through. All conversation ceased, and a redhead looked up at her.  
  
"Can we help you?"  
  
"Who is Izumi Koushiro?" The redhead stood up.  
  
"That's me."  
  
"I bring a message from my master. ' I have dealt with Gennai, and you can never return.'" She turned to leave, but Koushiro grabbed her arm.  
  
"Who are you? Who sent you?" Julienne's glazed eyes flickered, and she stumbled.  
  
"Can't-remember...No-HE remembers, and does not forgive, a Roman name...German? I-" She collapsed onto the ground soundlessly.  
  
***  
  
"Ken, it's going to be all right," Daisuke protested, holding his hands on either side of Ken's face. He leaned forward and kissed him on the nose. Ken's worried frown twitched into a smile.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"I kissed your nose," Daisuke replied, and then kissed Ken on the lips. The kiss deepened, and the two of them pressed closer. Jun stood up from the other side of the table and discreetly slipped out of the kitchen. She ran into Jyou, who was hurrying into the kitchen.  
  
"Oh, gomen, Jun. Are there and cold compresses in there?"   
  
"Uh...yeah. In the free-" But Jyou was gone. Jun simply stood in one place, watching as Jyou hurried back to Daisuke's room, followed by two blushing teenagers. "Why doesn't anyone around here tell me what's going on?"  
  
***  
  
They had placed Julienne onto Daisuke's bed, where she was now laying. She tossed and turned, and every so often, her voice became audible.  
  
"Where'm I? Japan...but...Said something about Julius-? Ides..." Jyou entered and placed the cold compress on her forehead.  
  
"She's not up yet, is she?" There was a general negative, and then Daisuke and Ken came in, their hands firmly linked. "I'm fairly confident that this isn't anything serious, although most of it is due to exhaustion. She's an American, I think, and someone compelled her to make this trip." There was a faint moan, and Julienne moved her hand to her forehead.  
  
"Where am I?" Her voice was weak and nervous, and Jyou hurried to her side.  
  
"Odaiba, Japan. Someone told you to come here; do you remember who?"  
  
"Ceesar; he remembers..." she began, and then shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't remember...since when do I speak Japanese?" Koushiro stepped forward.  
  
"You were hypnotized, I believe, and the person who persuaded you to come here must have implanted subconscious knowledge of the language in your mind."  
  
"Koushiro, those aren't even words!" Daisuke cried, but was cut off by a kiss from Ken, which intensified as usual. The two slid to the ground, still kissing.  
  
"Guys, can you ignore your hormones for just ten minutes?" Hikari proposed. When he didn't respond, she just sighed and sat back against Miyako. "Please don't mind them, Miss..."  
  
"Call me Julie."  
  
"Yeah, Julie, they tend to forget there's other people in the room."  
  
"Right," she responded, smiling faintly. "I only wish I could help you more..." She trailed off, and her eyes became thoughtful. Suddenly, she said, "Cæsar!"  
  
"What?" She began to pace the room.  
  
"He said that Cæsar remembers, and does not forgive. I know it's important, there's something I'm missing...something about Japan, or Japanese..."  
  
"The Japanese equivalent of Cæsar is Kaiser," Ken said softly.  
  
***  
  
"See? They are stronger than before!"  
...Are they?...  
"Of course! There are emotional connections-"  
...They only weaken them...  
"What?"  
...If one dies, his partner is stricken, and will be that much easier to destroy...  
"That's not true!"  
...You know it is...  
...It's a shame...I almost like this batch...  
"Then why destroy them?"  
...Because it is my-our-destiny...  
  
*** 


	4. Entrance

Alter Ego  
  
***  
  
Part III: Entrance  
  
***  
  
Yeah, hi, boring old me again. As usual, I make no claims on the posession of 95% of the ideas, characters, and settings (After all, if I owned Digimon, I'd be putting all these ideas into the show!). I also make the warning that from this point onward, I would have to rate this story 'R'. In the next two parts, there will be references to various unpleasantries, and I don't want younger readers to stumble across them. As usual, enjoy!  
  
***  
  
This is yor last chance to leave before things get really unpleasant.  
  
  
  
I mean it! Although I don't want to reveal anything, this part is rated R-almost NC17 for a VERY GOOD REASON!  
  
  
  
So, if you can't handle that, turn back before it's too late!  
  
***  
  
\\A man was trapped in a cage, locked in by twin jailers. He beat at the iron walls, screaming for justice. The guards only turned deaf ears to him.  
  
"Why don't you let him go?" he asked them. They shook their heads, replying,  
  
"He is an inconvenience." He stepped forward, and threw the guards aside. They screamed at him as he slammed a fist through the iron, and the prisoner smiled at him.  
  
"Thank you, you fool! For freeing me, I will give you all you desire, and all you fear..." In a moment, the man was gone and inside him, and he recognized it as the darkness that had called to him.  
  
***  
  
"You tricked me! You said it was a game!"  
...I never said that...You thought it was a game...I did not dissuade you...  
"It's the same thing!"  
...Is it?...  
"Get out of my head!"  
...I told you, you can't make me leave...  
"Then you won't...but I won't let you win!" And then the man was trapped as before, deep in a prison within his soul. "I may not be free of you, but I will make sure no one must see you again."//  
  
***  
  
"Ken-chan? Ken-chan? Ken-chan!" Ken's eyes snapped open to the pleading tone in Daisuke's voice. The redhead threw himself into Ken, his eyes tearing. "Thank god! You got all distant, and you weren't responding, and Minomon was panicking, and I-"  
  
"I'm all right, Daisuke," Ken said flatly, turning away. Daisuke placed a nervous hand on Ken's shoulder, but then Jyou spoke.  
  
"Before you blacked out, you said Cæsar was the Latin equivalent of Kaiser. Does this mean that-"  
  
"No! I mean, I don't know...I keep blacking out like that. I'll have dreams, and I think I see him, but...it's like back then, but I'm not making a choice. I don't know...maybe he's trying to take over again..." He trailed off, and consciously laced his arms around Daisuke's waist. "Sometimes, I would black out back then, and I wouldn't remember what I'd done-But he preferred me to make a choice." He carefully turned Daisuke to the side so they were sitting next to each other on Daisuke's bed.  
  
"So now what to we do?" Taichi looked at the others anxiously.  
  
"We could charge in like idiots and demand the Kaiser give up now...OR we could carefully-" The computer began to hum, and an image projected from the screen. A cloud of dust hovered in the room, and a voice spoke from its center.  
  
"Hello, Digidestined. I bring word to you from my master, Cæsar. You see, he has destroyed the Digital World, and created his own in its place. He invites you to challenge him there. If you win, he will be destroyed. If he wins, well...let's say you'll be glad he only kills you. In 24 hours, if you have not responded, he will assume you have declined his challenge. He will proceed to conquer all existing worlds, and you will wish he HAD killed you. Ja ne." The creature bowed (or rather, contracted downward), and vanished.  
  
"Well, it seems our decision has been made for us," Koushiro said simply.  
  
***  
  
Jun sat in the kitchen, staring at the wall. The Digital World? Digimon? It had to have some meaning, something beyond the names, the actions. Being loud and particularly annoying had its perks. No one ever suspected that she was eavesdropping; after all, how could anyone miss her? And with what she'd been able to glean about the Digidestined, she imagined some of the things she'd attributed to heat or bad clams were in fact indicators of her status as one. She wondered briefly if it was a family thing. However...it seemed one needed a 'Digivice' to get there, so her problem was obtaining one. Because if she ever got there, she was sure she could identify the one hint that was eluding her, something that would explain this Kaiser thing, the World of Darkness, and the rest. But it was all moot; she didn't have a Digivice.  
  
***  
  
"Guys, we do have time to prepare for this, you know, think things over," Iori protested. Takeru placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.  
  
"Hey, there's 12 of us. There isn't anything so bad that we can't handle it."  
  
"That's easy for you to say; you've got the Crest of Hope," he muttered. "I have to deal with Knowledge, and that's telling me this is a bad idea."  
  
"You know, it might be a good idea to drag me along on this little escapade," Julienne pointed out. "I have seen this man before, and I may be able to remember something useful about him-"  
  
"We know all there is to know about him. He's the Digimon Kaiser, Ken's alter ego," Miyako said curtly.  
  
"You're being unfair here, Miyako. The only person who's actually seen him was hypnotized at the time. For all we know, that shadow could be some Mega Digimon trying to hide behind the Kaiser's image," Daisuke snapped back. "Ken's gone through enough without you trying to make him feel like it's his fault."  
  
"Yeah, well, he's the only person who called himself the Kaiser, and he admitted himself that the Kaiser took over when he had blackouts like those! And on another note, I don't think it's a good idea to take him with us," she added. Daisuke wrapped a protective arm around Ken, and retorted,  
  
"Miyako, it's that sort of baseless accusation that made Ken so unwilling to help us before! If you could just-"  
  
"Please, just stop!" Ken pleaded. "Just do something about this; don't shout about it like this."   
  
"Yeah, it's giving me a headache," Gatomon added.  
  
"Well, I think we should all go, and if Ken seems to have difficulty, we can take steps to alleviate his discomfort," Koushiro piped up.  
  
"Or we could wait around until he decides to become the Kaiser again, and we'll all die," Jyou muttered.  
  
"Faith, shmaith," Mimi said humorlessly, "Jyou doesn't have a positive bone in his body." As the Digidestined grew into a babble of voices, no one heard Ken shout,  
  
"Hey! What're you doing with that?"  
  
"Digiport, Open!" Julienne snapped, and a moment later, she was gone into the Dark World. The room fell silent, and they all stared at the screen.  
  
"It seems that my hypothesis that the Digivices are keys to a door anyone can open is correct," Koushiro said blandly.  
  
"Yeah, well, let's just get going, shall we?" Yamato said angrily.  
  
"Not with that attitude, we won't!" Taichi said cheerfully.  
  
"And what attitude should I-mmph!" There was a collective eye-roll as Yamato was pinned to the wall by what somewhat obviously was a kiss with tongue.  
  
"We're not going anywhere soon," Takeru noted somewhat gloomily.  
  
***  
  
"Let's see, carry the two, and...ah! There we go. Pulveramon!" The black cloud slipped into the Kaiser's chambers.  
  
"Yes, Master?"  
  
"I've finished my program. Go prepare the-special-quarters."  
  
"Yes, Master," the creature mumbled, and floated away.  
  
"Lousy parasite," Kaiser murmured.  
  
***  
  
"Oof!" Julienne stood up, and smiled. She hadn't landed in a dungeon or anything. That was good. However, whatever room she was in was...pitch black. Well, she could handle it. She just needed to find a door-ah! There; one was opening.  
  
"Uh oh." She caught a glimpse of a shadow, before the door slammed shut. Julienne looked down at the Digivice she had borrowed. She couldn't see it, but she knew it belonged to that Ken kid. Apparently, he had had dealings with the Kaiser before, so maybe the man was trying to trap him here. Well, she had wanted to track down the Kaiser, so here she was.  
  
***  
  
"Let's just go!" Miyako snapped. She stalked over to the computer, and held out her Digivice. "Digiport-" When the Digivice was sensed, the computer erupted in a flash of light, and when the afterimage cleared, the Digidestined had been absorbed into it. Like a Venus flytrap after snapping around a fly, the computer was still.  
  
***  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
"I don't know, but it's dark."  
  
"Gee, you think?"  
  
"Is that Miyako?"  
  
"No; I'm over here!"  
  
"Mimi, this is not the time for-"  
  
"I'm not Mimi." A slapping sound.  
  
"What was that for?"  
  
"That was your hand on my butt!"  
  
"Heh heh, I thought you were Yamato."  
  
"That is too much information."  
  
"Daisuke!"  
  
"Takeru? Um...you sounded like Ken?"  
  
"By the way, where is he?"  
  
"Ken?"  
  
"No, Gennai. Of course I mean Ken!"  
  
"Jyou, calm down."  
  
"I don't think he's even in this room."  
  
"Then where is he?"  
  
"I think we should focus on getting out of this room first." There was a sudden burst of static, and a voice came from the walls.  
  
***  
  
"Hello, Digidestined. I'm glad you could make it." The Kaiser's voice echoed through the room. "As you've noticed, I have you nicely trussed up in here. Take a moment to count yourselves." He was silent a moment.  
  
"You see, Daisuke? It's Ken's voice!" Miyako snapped.  
  
"It's the Kaiser's voice!" Daisuke responded. "It's not the same-"  
  
"I'll bet you'll have noticied one of your party is missing. Well, actually, two. I quite assure you both are safe. Miss Maxis is of great use to me, and as for Mr. Ichijouji, well...I suppose it doesn't take a boy genius to figure *that* one out. I'll be in shortly to check on you. Ta ta!" The voice cut off.  
  
"That WAS Ken!" Miyako said smugly.  
  
"You don't have any proof!" Daisuke retorted.  
  
"Um, guys-"  
  
"But that was his voice, and he hinted at-"  
  
"He just said that we could figure out what happened to Ken for ourselves! He didn't-"  
  
"SHUT UP!" The two turned in Iori's direction, and saw him quite visibly.  
  
"Um, where's the light coming from?" Daisuke asked. Iori pointed behind him.  
  
"There's a room there. It opened after the Kaiser stopped talking." Taichi stepped over to the door through which light was streaming. He peered at it, and walked back.  
  
"It says, 'Arachne'. What does that mean?"  
  
"Spiders, or, rather, members of the family Arachnid," Koushiro said flatly.  
  
"Miyako, please tell me that's your hand on my leg," Hikari said nervously.  
  
"Um, Hika-chan, I'm over here." Hikari screamed piercingly, and it soon became evident that thousands of small spiders had crawled from the room into their prison.  
  
"Are they poisonous?" Daisuke asked, slapping a few with his hands.  
  
"Quite," the Kaiser's amused voice responded. "They aren't found in the real world, but I assure you, they're quite deadly." Suddenly, Mimi's voice cut through the panic.  
  
"You idiots! Stop slapping the freaking bugs and use the Digimon!"  
  
***  
  
Greymon vaporized another line of spiders, and behind him, Garurumon was burning hordes of them with blue fire.  
  
"Well, it took them long enough to do so," the Kaiser muttered. "Pulveramon, have you fixed your mistake?"  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
"Then make sure my amusement is ready for my attentions. You have until I return."  
  
"Where are you going, Master?"  
  
"To confirm the Digidestined's suspicions."  
  
***  
  
"Did anyone get bitten?"  
  
"Thankfully, no," Jyou responded. "I wouldn't know how to fight the poison."  
  
"So what was the point of that?" Mimi asked, exasperated.  
  
"Maybe he just wanted to judge our strength," Sora proposed.  
  
"That's really quite a noble suggestion, but I just was hoping I'd knock a few of you out of the way. Frankly, I'm disappointed with your skill." The Kaiser, in his full regalia, stepped through the door to the spider room, and stood before them. He was every inch the person they remembered. "I certainly expected you to handle them much faster. But then again, youu're old and out of practice." He laughed. "I've been planning this for years." Daisuke, visibly shaking, spoke up.  
  
"You're not really Ken, are you?"  
  
"Is there really any doubt of it?" The Kaiser reached to his belt, and unhooked his whip. "I'll tell you this, strike me with the whip, and we'll see who I am." He threw it lightly to the redhead, and stepped forward, arms spread. Daisuke caught the whip deftly, and let it unwind. He approached the Kaiser, and raised it. But then, he threw it aside, letting out a half-sob.  
  
"I can't do it!" The Kaiser smiled.  
  
"Your faith in your boyfriend is overwhelming, Dai-chan." Daisuke's eyes flashed angrily, and he shouted,  
  
"Don't call me that!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Yo-He-he's not you," Daisuke responded, trembling and stumbling over his words.  
  
"You know, I once called you my worthy adversary," Kaiser began. "But now I see I was quite mistaken. You are a fool, Daisuke, because you can not see what is plainly under your nose." He turned and stalked away, allowing the door to close behind him. Daisuke only stared after the Kaiser, tears streaming down his face.  
  
"I can't believe he'd-" He couldn't finish his sentence. Hikari, warding the others off, sat down next to him and hugged him comfortingly.  
  
"None of us can, Dai-chan. But it just seems so much like it."  
  
***  
  
'Where am I?' He knew where he was. He had sensed it in the air. He could smell the salt of the Dark Ocean even here. He also knew what was to happen to him. He was chained to this room, and he was quite sure he had been relieved of his clothing. Now all he had to do was wait.  
  
"Hello, Ken." He started, and saw the figure enter the room. "It's a pleasure to see you again. I thought I never would, you know. After our little misunderstanding." He didn't need to look at his captor to know he was smiling. "I'll bet you're wondering how I got here."  
  
"I'm not. I know how you did it. You seem to forget that I'm a genius."  
  
"Ah, but I have always been a step ahead. Now, it is the time for your torture, Ken-chan."  
  
"Am I to be whipped? Beated?"  
  
"In some capacity. You see, the only drawback to a beating is that it scars the body, leaves marks of its occurrence. So I found this cute little device, and made use of it. You read Asimov?" A curt nod. "Do you remember the concept of a neuronic whip?" Another nod. "Well, I thought it was a lovely idea. A weapon which stimulates the pain sensors, leaving a person in constant ache, yet with the body untouched. A brilliant objective."  
  
"And that is how you will torture me."  
  
"More or less." There was an electronic crackling, and he suddenly felt a knife-keen pain rip through his shoulder, travel through his side, suddenly cutting through his neck, the pain unbearable, uncomparable! And then it was gone. "This item has five settings. That was the lowest. Let's go up one, shall we?" Ken didn't remember if he screamed, but he did know that he had begged, yes, *begged* for mercy.  
  
***  
  
"They said that when a Digimon dies, it is reformatted, and I suspect that the World of Darkness is an extension of the Digiworld, so-" Jun scratched out a few notes, and smiled. It had to be right! She wasn't what you would call a computer whiz, or a mathematician, but she knew she had to be right. So now all she had to do was find a way to get there. She could help them against their enemy. She just needed to find a way there...  
  
***  
  
"Now, wasn't that lovely?" Ken twitched on the ground, whimpering. The Kaiser laughed. "Well, this will seem almost an anticlimax, but I've wished this for a very long time." There was a faint rustle of cloth, but Ken didn't even notice the sounds. All he could focus on was the pain in his chest, his stomach, his arms, neck... "This is a pleasure that I will treasure forever, *Ken-chan*." And then Ken realized that his captor had struck his chest, his head, crippled his legs, but he had left one area alone, that he had planned this, because he wanted Ken to feel everything...  
  
"Just leave me alone, please, just leave me..." Ken didn't know who was talking, but it sounded like himself.  
  
"I think I'll decline. I think you might enjoy this as well." And then Ken's world shattered into pain again, but this time marred with the wrongness of what was happening. The pain, the helplessnes, the terror, and above it all, the Kaiser laughing, reveling in the pain and the pleasure involved, and readying for the finish...Ken knew that this time he screamed.  
  
***  
  
There was another rustle of cloth, and the sound of steps.  
  
"I had a great time, Ken-chan. Unfortunately, I have bigger fish to fry. Maybe we can get together again sometime." The Kaiser slammed the door after himself, letting the last noise his prisoner heard be the chuckle rising in his throat. Ken didn't respond, laying in pain, humiliation, and exhaustion on the stone floor. Occasionally, he would whimper, and his lips would form into the word "Dai." And yet he remained alone.  
  
***  
  
"What did you do to that poor boy?"  
...You did it, too...  
"Why did you do it?"  
...Because I'm a sadist...  
"Why do you keep insisting *I* had a hand in this?"  
...Because if you really wanted, you can stop me from doing something. I would have killed them before, but my...host stopped me from doing so...  
"You are a bastard, you know."  
...Thank you...  
  
***  
  
Eep. Listen, I didn't mean for this to happen. The idea just formed, and it came out here. Please don't yell at me. Please rest assured that things will get better, including the return of Jun! (It might not be that good a thing, but it's still better than this) Anyway, I do really hope you don't all hate me for this part. 


	5. The Great Escape

Alter Ego  
  
***  
  
Part IV: The Great Escape  
OR  
The Reconciliation For Part III  
OR  
Not Exactly, But It'll Get Better, I Promise!  
  
***  
  
As indicated above, although this part doesn't get much better from the events of the last one, it's definately uphill. Except I seem to have made a habit of sticking unfortunate circumstances into these...oh, well. Almost forgot-don't own Digimon, probably never will. Not writing for profit, just borrowing these characters for a little while, promise to put them back in-almost-mint condition. Anyway, just continue and read.  
  
***  
  
\\"Twelve is such an ugly number. It has no significance. If I were to want so many guardians, I'd make it 13." A teacher standing before her students. "13 has meaning, substance. 9 is better, but 13 is a powerful number."  
  
***  
  
Whirling images, and another voice.  
  
"If you just stick with it, you'll never fail."  
  
"But then again, part of perseverence is knowing when it's hopeless."  
  
"Failure is not an option!"  
  
"The epitome of perserverence is the Orborus, who spent eternity trying to devour its own tail-" a teacher droned.  
  
"Only a fool gives up, but only a fool sticks with a hopeless cause."  
  
"The wise man knows which path will lead to success, and stays on it."  
  
***  
  
Death. Pain. Agony. There was no blood, bodies, but the area stank of death.  
  
"You are not Fear; you feed on it. You feed on fear of yourself, and you are -------." An angel stood before the Devil himself, standing between Ken and the creature. "I am just as powerful as you, so I can win."  
  
"No; you have failed, for your allies have fallen." The Devil raised his trident, to strike down the figure of light, but the weapon would not strike her.  
  
"No, you have failed, because you cannot see the truth. And because you have succumbed to your own namesake, you must die." And the shadow faded away. But what was the secret? How did the Devil fail? And what was his identity?  
  
"Who are you?" The answer was soft and caring.  
  
"The one who will never abandon you..."//  
  
Ken awoke from his fevered dreams, and focused on the cell again. The images of what had occurred, what, ten minutes ago? were still burned into his mind.  
  
"Dai-chan," he croaked, his voice strained by the screams. "Help." But Daisuke had forgotten him. They thought that he had succumbed again to his demons. But he couldn't; he had Dai-chan. Except now he didn't. The pain was simply too great. Ken wept, letting the tears stream under his face.  
  
***  
  
The castle stood on the shores of the Dark Ocean itself, several walls hanging over the black water. Creatures of darkness swam below it, looking for any scrap of light to devour. Suddenly, they scattered. The Ancient One was arising, and none dared stand in her way. She was older than the sea, the Dark World, or even the Earth itself. She was infinitely wise, and more powerful than any of them dared imagine. A small shark swam towards the ripple arising from the depths, and was thrown back. A moment later, a head poked from the surface, and in a flash of true Light, the creature was gone. The ripple continued, with all living beings scattering before it. When the Ancient One moved, great things were afoot.  
  
***  
  
"Hello? Anybody?" Julienne sat down, disheartened. The screams she'd heard earlier had been quite unnerving, but nothing seemed to have changed. Except, of course, the unsettling revelation which had occurred after she'd been imprisoned. She had barely been able to believe that-She shook her head. "First, find a way out of here, then deal with this situation." She placed her hand on the wall, and suddenly smiled. "If it's only a program, then..." She began to sketch strange symbols on the wall, humming as she worked.  
  
***  
  
"Ken-chan couldn't have," Daisuke muttered. "And he's in trouble. I know it." Miyako rolled her eyes, but remained silent after a glare from Hikari.  
  
"But all the signs point to it-" Koushiro began.  
  
"You know, I would have figured you'd have already started to plan an escape by now," the mocking voice said. The Kaiser again appeared from an invisible door. "I really am disappointed." He turned to the group, his lip curling upwards in disgust as he saw Taichi sitting in Yamato's lap. "Every time I come back here, I find another reason to kill you all. People like you have no place in civilized society." He turned as if to leave, but Iori stood up.  
  
"No, Kaiser. It's people like *you* who don't belong in civilized society. You judge based on lifestyle choices, religions, nationalities, yet you don't look at the person. It's people who trod on the feelings of others, who take what they want by hurting others, who place themselves and their desires before the needs of others, who should be discriminated against." He stalked over to the Kaiser, eyes blazing. "And if I were a violent person, I would have given you the beating you deserve, because you are a true bastard." The Kaiser glared for a moment at Iori, and then slapped him.  
  
"That was for speaking against me. And that-" he continued, kneeing the teenager in the groin, "was for calling me such a horrendous name. Good day." He turned to leave, stepping over Iori's pained body, but found Takeru standing before him.  
  
"Do you think you can just beat us up and leave us like broken toys?" The Kaiser looked thoughtful for a moment.  
  
"Basically, yes." Takeru said nothing else, but punched the glasses worn by the Kaiser. Daisuke dashed forward almost immediately, to help the fallen man, but froze.  
  
"His eyes..." he began, staring. Takeru knelt down at the man still laying on the ground. The eyes beneath the glasses were not the violet-blue that blazed in Ken-the-Kaiser's gaze. His eyes were a cat green, shimmering with anger. The Kaiser pushed himself up, smiling.  
  
"I'd hoped to keep you divided before I killed you, but it seems I've misjudged you. You have two choices of death, Digidestined. You can die of starvation, or rather, of thirst, in here, or you can escape this prison, free the two other prisoners it contains, and die at my hands in battle with your Digimon." He stood up, and stalked to the wall, seemingly melting through it. Iori spoke first.  
  
"You didn't have to do that, TK." Takeru smiled, and shifted a little.  
  
"Well, you see, I couldn't just let him walk all over you like that, especially when you stood up for yourself so well." Iori nodded, and started to stand up. But he found Takeru's hand to help him up.  
  
"You don't need to-" he started, his face nonetheless reddening.  
  
"I want to," Takeru said quietly. "Iori, if we're going to die during this, I have to tell you...I like you."  
  
"Well, you're a good friend-"  
  
"That's not what I meant."  
  
"I know," Iori muttered. "Why?"  
  
"Well, you're smart, you stand up for what you believe in, you're dedicated, serious, cute when you let go a little, do you want me to go on?" Iori shook his head, his cheeks brightly pink.  
  
"But, Takeru, aren't I a little...young for you?" Takeru grinned.   
  
"Two years? That's nothing! So, can you think of any other reasons why I can't like you, or will you decide whether you like me back?" Iori stepped towards the blond a little.  
  
"Well, I wanted to make sure-that you were actually interested-before I did anything," Iori replied, his eyes locking with Takeru's. Almost simultaneously, their lips moved together for a gentle kiss, which lasted for quite a long time. There was a flash of light, and they broke apart, startled. Hikari stood before them, smiling, one arm around Miyako, the other holding her camera.  
  
"I'll call it 'Lovers' First Kiss'. What do you think?"  
  
"I think you're giving me that camera!" Iori snapped, lunging forward. As he did so, he managed to trip on a small rock, and fell to the stone floor with a thud.  
  
"Iori?" Takeru inquired, kneeling next to him. "Are you all right? Is your face okay?" There was a faint chuckle, and Iori sat up.  
  
"Yep, all accounted for."  
  
"Um, guys, I know you two just found each other and everything, but Iori seems to have stumbled over the exit," Jyou stated.  
  
***  
  
A tall woman stood at the very beach where Ken had fallen into the path of darkness. She glanced out at the sea, and smiled. The shallow water could not hide the serpent from view. It swam powerfully towards her, slowing only slightly as it slid onto the sand.  
  
"So. We are to work together," she stated. "I suppose you know who I am."  
  
"The human of Perseverance."  
  
"Close enough. So, shall we go?" She leapt lightly onto the serpent's back, and it whipped around, entered the water, and began stroking for the opposite shores of this Dark Ocean.  
  
***  
  
The small protrusion on the floor had been a switch that had swung the floor down into a staircase.  
  
"I have a bad feeling about this," Iori said gloomily. Takeru grinned, and looped an arm around the boy's waist.  
  
"Well, if anything goes wrong, I'll protect you, Iori-chan." Iori's cheek reddened a little, but he smiled.  
  
"Arigatou, Take-chan." He stepped forward to the stairs, and the others followed. A moment later, Daisuke had pushed past them.  
  
"We have to find Ken!" he responded to the protests at his movements. "The Kaiser's hoolding him prisoner, and we have to find him before something terrible happens!" The others followed cautiously after him, descending into the dark passage. As the light faded, a low humming filled the hallway. The various couples walked closer together, trying to avoid the source of the eerir noise.  
  
"Guys, I'm allergic to damp hallways. I think I'll go back now."  
  
"Jyou, shut up."  
  
"Like you should talk, Tai-chan." The group fell into an uncomfortable silence, and then there was a shout of pain.  
  
"Daisuke? Are you all-"  
  
"I tink I broke by dose," he managed to reply. "Dere's a right turn here, and no one told be what it was."  
  
"Hello? Is there someone out there?" The voice came from the left, and they turned to the side.  
  
"Agumon, could you make a light?" Taichi asked.  
  
"Sure. Pepper Breath!" The small Digimon ignited a darkened torch on the wall, and they saw a simple locked door.  
  
"Can you help me get out? The door won't budge, and I've been using all my programming knowledge."  
  
"Julienne?" Koushiro asked. There was a pause.  
  
"Listen, Digidestined, you have to find your other friend. He's nearby...I heard him scream when the Kaiser tortured him. And also, don't bother fighting him; he's too powerful." Daisuke growled, and looked like he was ready to dash off and strangle the Kaiser with his own two hands. But Iori stepped forward, and smiled at the door.  
  
"It's a simple lock; just give me a minute..." He toyed with it, and the the door swung open. Julienne stumbled out, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Thank you. Now, we have to find your friend. The Kaiser didn't seem to like him much."  
  
"It's understandable," Takeru replied. "Ken once *was* the Kaiser, but drove him out. Or so we'd guess; we always thought the Kaiser was a part of Ken." Julienne drew in a breath.  
  
"Well, he's in a lot of danger. I think his cell is this way; I started out here." She walked forward, but then froze. A piece of shadow detatched itself from the wall and approached her. "Pulveramon..." The shadow bowed, and a tendril engulfed her.  
  
"Why are you out of your cage? Master will be unhappy..." The voice was hypnotizing, smooth and calm.  
  
"Where's Ken?" The shadow turned to face Daisuke.  
  
"He's fine; now you should rest..."  
  
"He's not fine and I need to find him!" Daisuke responded angrily. The shadow backed up, and its voice was carefully controllled now.  
  
"You will return to your cell. NOW."  
  
"Veemon, Digivolve."  
  
"I'm sorry; I can't let you do that. Shadow Plane!" The air seemed to shift, twist, and bend around the Digidestined, and then-  
  
"Hah! I was right!" Julienne stood triumphantly, one hand reached out. "You can't touch us if we don't let you. Guys, he's just a figment of your imagination. Leave him behind." They followed slowly after her, uncertain.  
  
"I'm not a shadow; I'm a ghost. Please, remember me...don't let me fade away..." The voice grew fainter, and then died out. Pulveramon was gone.  
  
***  
  
"Jonathan? Pulveramon? Where are you?" The Kaiser marched through his chambers, looking for his companion in the Digiworld, now in his world of darkness.  
...He's gone...  
"What? How do you know?"  
...They ignored him...They knew he needed attention to exist...  
"They what? I'll kill them, I really will..."  
...Why?...  
"They killed my only friend."  
...Excellent...  
  
***  
  
"Here it is. This is where I was originally taken." She pointed to the wall, where a faint line that could have been a door which was set into the stone. "Although I can't open it from the inside, I should be able to open it from here-" But even as she spoke, Daisuke strode forward with Exveemon at his side, blasting the stone to pieces. He was met with a sad sight. The room was as dark as the hallway, the only decoration a tangle of chains in the center. Daisuke hurried inward, his brown eyes piercing the darkness for some sign of his love.  
  
"You said he'd be here!" he snapped at Julienne. She frowned, and walked in behind him.  
  
"He is." She moved to the chains and bent down. She carefully helped the cowering teenager dressed in nothing but the chains sit up. He held his knees to his chest, to conceal and protect. Daisuke ran to his side, and tried to pull Ken into an embrace, but the blue-haired boy drew back suddenly. "Jyou. We need your help," she said simply. He hurried forward, but recoiled at the sight of the boy. He nevertheless tried to help him up.  
  
"The chains..." he pleaded. Julienne knelt down and sketched a few symbols on them, and they melted away.  
  
"This place is a computer, and I have guessed how to control its program," she explained. Jyou carefully helped Ken up and gasped.  
  
"Iori, I've got a bag of medical supplies back there; bring it here." Daisuke stood, horrified as he saw Ken being helped up by Jyou.  
  
"What happened to him?" Jyou shook his head.  
  
"He was definitely tortured, but I don't know with what. However," he began, his face pale. "Even with only I cursory look-over, I can determine that among the tortures he endured...he was raped."  
  
***  
  
...I have finally taken what I desire. You have completely succumbed to me. I am glad it happened such... The man was sullen, glaring at his captor.  
"You may have my body, but my mind will never belong to you," he snapped defiantly.  
...You are all that is left of who you were. And soon, you will be dead...  
"Get out of my head!" he responded, his voice desperate.  
...Certainly I would...if it were your mind to claim...but possession *is* nine-tenths of the law...  
"What makes you think you will win?"  
...Because is it inevitable...  
  
***  
  
"Ken? Can you hear me?" Daisuke. He had come back. But it could be a cruel trick, a figment of his imagination, a hoax by his captor. To lure him back into security before he-"Ken! I'm so sorry; I doubted you, we all did. I'm sorry I couldn't have faith in you." Why would the Kaiser go through so much trouble? How could he know that Daisuke would respond just so? Ken took a chance.  
  
"Faith is not your strength. Friendship. Courage." Ken shuddered as he realized someone was touching him. Hands on his flesh...His own hand lashed out, nearly of its own accord, and he felt it connect. But then his arm erupted into a flaming heat, a white-hot pain. The whip. The neuronic whip. He'd forgotten that.  
  
"Ken, please, let Jyou help you. We all want to help you." The pleading tone in Daisuke's voice made up Ken's mind. He opened his eyes and stared out at three others. Daisuke was looking hopefully at him Iori impassionately, and Jyou with the worry that seemed ingrained into his flesh.  
  
"Ken, you have to tell us what happened," Jyou said plainly. "We can't help you if we don't-"  
  
"I should think it was obvious," Ken replied curtly. "He beat me, and then he-had his way with me. There is nothing more, nothing less. And I am sure this proof is all you need to see that I have changed, that I am no longer the heartless creature you once fought. I would like to go home now." His words, intended to be strong and defiant, sounded like a pleading child's. But still, he saw the hurt flash in Daisuke's eyes at the implied accusation. There was a long silence, and then Jyou handed him some clothes.  
  
"Extras I packed for myself," he said, and then stood up, walking across the room. Iori turned away, and left the room to join the others. And Daisuke simply stared at him, the pain in his face accenting the physical agony Ken had already experienced. It was too much. He slipped his head into his arms and cried.  
  
***  
  
\\The avenging angel swooped down into him, her flowing tresses glowing like a fire in the darkness. Light cloth hung over her, and she held a sword, forged to look like a serpent. He raised his hands, intending to destroy her where she stod, but his power flowed off of her.  
  
"Who are you!?" he screamed. She smiled, and plunged the sword through his heart.  
  
"Your equal, perhaps your better,' she replied simply. And then he was dying, slipping into an eternal darkness...//  
"Bad dreams, Kaiser?" The voice was amused at his obvious distress.  
...No... he lied. How could he not? To admit weakness was-unfogivable, he decided.  
"But you forget we share a mind, Kaiser. You can't lie from me, only hide the details of the truth."  
...But I can kill you...  
"But you still need me," he replied, his voice light with an energy he had never possesed before. It worried the Kaiser.  
  
***  
  
Had he truly abandoned Ken? Had he doubted that Ken was still good? Daisuke was sure that he had not. But why, then, had he faltered to strike the Kaiser? When the Kaiser was Ken, he struck at him. But if the Kaiser were Ken again, he could not touch him. So he must have believed the Kaiser to be Ken. That alone could explain it.  
  
"You lay too much blame upon yourself, Daisuke," Julienne said, sitting next to him on the floor. He had left Ken to his own devices, and the boy was stil alone on the stone floor. "Many things happen in life that Man cannot understand. Cruelty is one of these." She sighed. "The answer you seek may lie in your strengths, or in your weaknesses." She was speaking in riddles. Daisuke hated that.  
  
"Just tell me what you mean," he said angrily. She smiled sadly.  
  
"The Kaiser is a demon that eats at a man's soul. The man he holds should not be hated, only pitied. One who has been held by the demon shall never allow it in again unless his resolve is weak, and those who hold it within them should be given the hand of aid." She stood, and glided towards the door, where the Digidestined were anxiously awaiting some sort of decision. Daisuke looked after her, but then walked over to Ken.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'm sorry for what happened to you, that the others doubted you. I'm sorry that it ever had to come to this, Ken. The Kaiser is a person, too, and at that moment, he looked like you. I am not a cruel person, and I don't hurt others except in the name of friendship. But Ken, I want to tell you this. No matter what happens to you, I li-no, Ken, I love you. Ai shiteru, Ichijouji Ken." He paused, and placed a hand on Ken's shoulder. Ignoring the wince from the other boy, he continued. "Ken, we want to help you get through this. I know none of us understand what you're going through, or the pain and humiliation you're feeling, but please, Ken, accept our help." Ken was silent so long, Daisuke thought he might have gone to sleep.  
  
"What did you say?" he asked cautiously.  
  
"We want to-"  
  
"Before that."  
  
"Ai shiteru?" Ken nodded.  
  
"Why?" Daisuke sighed.  
  
"You're kind, you're graceful, smart, but not arrogant, well, not anymore. Ken, there's just something about you-" Ken sobbed.  
  
"Why? Why? Daisuke, I thought you just-why?" He suddenly stood up, or tried to. His legs collapsed under him, and he swore.  
  
"Ken-chan?" He was hovering over the boy, and shot a glance to the door to the chamber, trying to get the other Digidestined to notice him. "What did he do to you?" Ken lay on the floor quietly.  
  
"Too much. Daisuke...please, I need to think. I can't deal with all of this now. Maybe...when I'm better, I can look at you and say I return your feelings. Now, could you help me up? We have to find the Kaiser."  
  
"Why bother looking? I am here." The man was dressed in gray, as Ken was accustomed to doing, but his stance was different, bolder. "I think it is time to end this game." He raised one hand. "This is a world I created, to hold te power of the Digiworld. It is mine, and my power is umlimited here. And so...to end all the virtues." He snapped his fingers, and a consuming fire arose from the stones. "Destroy them, the Digimon, too." And the flames, swift and hungry, surrounded all the Digidestined save Ken, who watched in horror as his friends were destroyed by a hellish flame.  
  
"You-"  
  
"Bastard. I know. Lovely, isn't it?" The flame died down, and the Kaiser walked forward to stand before the cowering figure. "And it is down to you, and it is down to me." He smiled, and pulled out the neuronic whip. "I shall finally have what I want."  
  
"I seriously doubt it, Failure." The Kaiser hissed, and whirled around.  
  
"Perseverence!" Ken stared at the red-haired angel, a tall, elegent woman clothed in flowing white lace, with burning eyes that reminded him of Daisuke. And then it hit him.  
  
"Jun?"  
  
***  
  
"I swear to God, if you don't get out, I'll kill myself!"  
...You don't have the guts...  
"Just try me. Their spirits bolster me. If I must, I will."  
...Ha! You can never conquer me. Only one ever has, and it nearly drove him mad! And only because he had friends he survived. You have no one...  
"I have myself. And I am strong enough."  
  
*** 


End file.
